newb temperature question on load

ambient temp was around 70F at night when I got those numbers. since its summer, the ambient gotten warmer. Now my idle temps are in the 50's C, and load temps in the 60's C. I think I can get it cooler, but my lian li tower design is not normal, the mobo sits upside down against an aluminum wall that separates the mobo area from the PSU area. The atx is flushed again that wall and restricts space preventing me to use 120mm CPU coolers to exhaust out the back. The fan and heatsink sit close against the wall blowing air towards my video cards. fortunate, I have a exhaust fan for the video cards, but it wouldn't be as effective as exhausting through the back.

 

Sanhime you should not worry about 60C . I've seen better and much worse than this . The core i7 has a really high threshold , but if you can stay sub 70C it`s pretty safe .

 

Those are great i7 temps, my fathers i7 idle'd at the low 40s on stock voltage and speed with a Noctua dual 120mm fan cooler. *Roll Eyes

 

Yea, its just been bugging me a little. Paid $60 for this cooler. From what I've been reading, it should be performing better than this. Maybe the grease has not cured yet (using stock grease). I'm certain the tower design is partly to blame because the cpu heat is not directly being exhausted, its just being divert and exhaust through the side video card exhaust. Plus the cooler sit almost against the wall with only about 1 cm clearance for the fan to draw air. Xigmatek makes 92mm versions of this cooler, though they dont call it Dark Knight. Just from looking, the construction looks identical. The only problem is I think the 92mm version is old and therefore will not come with 1366 bracket. Also smaller fans = more noisier.

 

You should check out the Collaboratory Liquid Pro if you can get your hands on it . That`s the best around imo . Never used Xigmatek's stock grease , i have no idea ...
And yes , better airflow makes a big difference ...